When he was searching for inspiration for the hanging planter he wanted to create in his Middle School Ceramics class, Eighth Grader Henry Robinson found himself thinking about his grandmother. “She makes me feel happy,” says Robinson, “so I decided to make it a happier piece, I guess—something that she would like.”
For Robinson and his Middle School peers, tuning in to feelings—their own and those of others—is critical to the “vibe” in Colorado Academy’s dedicated Middle School Ceramics Studio. “It’s like a different zone,” explains Eighth Grader Emmaline Sprick, “where you can be quiet and focused with other people and go into your imagination. Sometimes in Middle School it can be hard to find space to do that.”
To all appearances, Ceramics for Seventh and Eighth Graders is a course about the fundamentals. “Students explore clay hand-building methods including pinching, coiling, slab building, and sculpting,” according to instructor Becci Marzonie. They learn about surface treatments and glazes, as well as the kiln-firing process. The introductory class sets students up to continue with more advanced work on the pottery wheel in CA’s extensive Upper School arts curriculum.
But for Middle Schoolers, there’s an entire world to discover beneath the basics.
Grayson Riek, an Eighth Grader, tries to put his finger on it. “Even though everyone’s doing their own thing, and you’re not really talking that much, you’re still connecting with the people around you, because you just have to look around to see all of these ideas taking shape.”
Working with clay is new for most in the class, Sprick points out. “It’s a challenge, and we’re all figuring stuff out together.”
Adds Robinson, “This is definitely a group struggle—everyone is dealing with the same sorts of problems, so everyone can kind of help each other succeed.”
When students first enter her classroom, Marzonie observes, these novice creators are often preoccupied with trying to execute realistic objects, pop-culture-inspired characters, or perfectly honed vessels. They want to know how their pieces will be graded, whether “beautifulness” earns them extra credit, and what happens when something doesn’t work out as expected.
Much of the time in class is spent helping students let go of all of these worries. “I want everyone in my class to love their work,” says Marzonie. Though the artists are graded on a rubric that includes engagement, persistence, collaboration, and risk-taking, they are relieved to realize that judgment isn’t allowed. Its opposite—empathy—is the most valuable thing in the room.
Seventh Grader Rohan Mrig explains, “It’s kind of like taking a break from stressing about tests and classes. It’s not literally a break, but you know that when you walk in, there are people around you who support you. People are telling you, ‘I like your work,’ and you’re giving each other ideas. Even if you started with no concept of what you were going to make, you can walk out with an amazing project that you feel really good about.”
“It’s not like other times when you’re worrying about trying to keep up,” adds Eighth Grader Vaughn Miller. “You can actually help people with their project, and it’s not cheating.”
Recently, recounts Robinson, he had to ask Riek for a favor. “I was working on this bowl that was really tall, and my fingers couldn’t reach inside to the bottom to smooth it out. I needed Grayson’s hands to finish that part.”
Even failure can strengthen the bonds that form here. Says Eighth Grader Lydia Blessing, “If a piece explodes in the kiln or it breaks somehow, it’s almost fun to see. Not fun at someone else’s expense—it’s because it brings you closer, like a family. You’re with them every day, no matter what happens.”
When they were in Fifth Grade, completing their Voices of Change capstone project, these students used the tenets of the Design Thinking process to propose solutions to real-world challenges. Dreaming up ways to protect bee colonies at a local park or ensure better experiences for Denver Art Museum visitors, they learned that Design Thinking’s first step—understanding the needs of others—is the foundation of innovation.
Now, in the Middle School Ceramics Studio, they are reminded that sharing a vibe might just be the spark of creativity, too. “You see all this stuff people are making around the room,” Robinson says, “and then you realize it was all done with ten fingers and a lump of clay. It’s kind of crazy; it’s a mystery how that happens.”
States Sprick, “Somehow, you surprise yourself; sharing this experience with others, you can go beyond anything you thought you could do at the beginning.”